The present invention relates to a wristband with links including a plurality of bars acting as connection and articulation means between the links and means for holding said bars in said links.
A multitude of versions of wristbands with links using bars acting as connection and articulation means between the links are known, as are a multitude of embodiments showing how these bars are held in the links.
When metal links are used, bars driven into holes made in the links are often used. This method is not possible if the links are made of a friable and brittle material, for example ceramics. Indeed, it will be understood that driving in bars may cause a brittle material to shatter.
In order to get round this difficulty, wristbands have been proposed (see for example, Swiss Patent document No. 600 815) including an inner chain made of steel and bearing all the mechanical stress, this inner chain being covered by decorative links which are strong or are threaded onto the inner chain. This solution has the drawback of being complex and having a high cost price.
In order to overcome the drawbacks of the solutions proposed above, European Patent document No. 0 950 364 proposes a bar at least one end of which is slit, this end being arranged to co-operate with a blocking part penetrating the slit of said end and thus securing the bar to the link. This latter solution has the drawback of requiring a blocking part which is welded, bonded or driven into the link to prevent any inadvertent dislocation of the wristband.
The aforecited drawbacks are avoided if the teaching of the present invention is implemented, according to which each bar is held axially by at least one of its ends onto a link by means of a sleeve with a collar designed and arranged to abut against holding means carried both by the bar and by the link.
The present invention is also original as regards the method for assembling the different elements constituting the wristband, such method being described in detail hereinafter.